1. Jesus gave gifts unto his people (the fivefold ministry) Eph 4:11

2. Romans 12 instruct us that these gifts and others are given by the measure of faith and grace God gives to each member of the Body, Rom 12:1-3

3. 1Cor 12, 13 and 14 talks about using these gifts and to strive for the greater gifts.

4. Eph 4:11 gave no such requirements to be an Apostle, Prophets, evangelist, pastors or teachers other than Christ “gave” them to the Church. This is truly the “calling.”

5. The only other requirement that the above positions required is that they be a “new” creature in Christ.

6. That there were husband and wife ministers, Prisca and Aquila, Rom 16:3-5; Acts 18:24-26, which would contradict 1Tim 3 and Titus 1 teachings.

7. That there were women apostles, Rom 16:7

8. That Phoebe was the “deacon” of the Church at Cenchreas, Rom 16:1

9. How does 1Tim 3 and Titus 1 line up to Paul’s own teaching of 1Cor 7:6, 32-35 where Paul instructs us to be as he were, not married?

10. The Apostles sets out the two requirements of Deacons in Acts 6:1-3

From the beginning of the New Testament preaching of the Gospel, around A.D. 30 till A.D. 64 some 34 years later, there has been no divine instructions or requirements for saints to hold any positions in the assembly of the saints.

However, around A.D. 60-64, Paul informs the church at Ephesus that Jesus gave gifts unto his people. Those gifts were, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and teachers, which are know as the five-fold ministry of the Church. When Christ calls you to the ministry there is no requirements other than the calling. He never instructed anyone to go to seminary or college; have a degree or any other requirements to fill these positions.

“For it is written in the book of Psalms, “Let his homestead become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it”; and “Let another take his position of overseer.” 21So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.’ 23So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ 26And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:20-26

“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. Acts 2:17,18

Now something has happened to cause Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to set down strict requirements to be a bishop/elder/pastor. This much we do know, that both Titus and Timothy endured much criticism from false teachers during their ministries. Paul exhorts Titus to continue to preach sound doctrine (Titus 2:1) and to use these requirements concerning the appointing of leaders in the church at Crete (Titus 1:5–9).

Thus, its now obvious that the writings of 1Tim 3 and Titus 1 were the result of “false teachers” being infiltrated into the church, living ungodly lives and having disorderly churches. First, Paul was writing to Timothy to instruct him on how to deal with the growing problem of false teachers that was evident in the church at Ephesus and second, telling Titus to use wise judgment concerning the appointing of leaders in the church.

In the Titus letter we see this necessity to have requirements of leaders because of the results of the days condition as described in Titus 1:10-16.

There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; 11they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said, ‘Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons.’ That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Thus, 1Tim 3 and Titus 1 are not to be the norm for elders/bishop/pastors of all churches but only for the cases were society is so corrupt and those corrupt individuals wanted to be leaders of the church (1Tim 4:1,2; 2Tim 4:3,4; Titus 1:10-16); that the only way to have proper/godly leaders in the church was to have “strict” requirements for those positions, thus to weed out those who could not live up to these high godly standards. This is just like the case with the Corinthian Church and its “head covering,” where Paul clearly states in 1Cor 11:16:

But if anyone is disposed to be contentious—we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

This head covering was only practice by the saint in Corinth, thus it does not apply to all churches. Likewise, the requirements listed for Bishops/elders/pastors/deacons does not apply to all churches but only for those churches that have corrupt false teachers that want in the church. You can also make the augment that if saints want to follow the Corinthian Church with its head covering, so be it, but it is not required. Likewise, if the saints what to follow the requirements for Bishop/elders/pastor/deacons that is specifically for those churches that have corrupt false teacher, so be it. But it is not required for others.

If 1Tim 3 and Titus 1 are the norm for leadership in the church, then one would be hard pressed to explain the ten points above and do them divine justice. Also this would be a misapplication of Scriptures as Paul did not give these instructions to all churches only those in Ephesus and Crete because of their conditions.

Now ending, Paul does give us a glimpse that these requirements are not for everyone:

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. 1Tim 3:14,15

That Greek word, “ought” means, “necessity brought on by circumstances or by the conduct of others toward us.” Again Paul is instructing us that because of the condition and conduct around us, that leadership in the church must at times be strict. If the conditions are not as this, then there is no need of such strict requirements of such positions. The misapplication of Scripture is one of the gravest errors of interpretation of the Word. In this case it causes much heartache and confusion as to what is truly right. Heartache as to the ones who feel they are called of God to preach and teach the Word but are restricted because of misapplication of Scriptures for they don’t fit the strict requirements that belong to certain conditions. Confusion as to the contradiction of what Paul states in other letters. How much division has the church created because of the misapplication of the Scriptures? Trying to make other conform to customs that don’t apply to all saints. The Church has done a great injustice by shunning individuals that don’t conform to what they believe is the truth that really applies to another situation. The truth is that we must Rightly Divide the Word of Truth.

With that said, 1Timothy 3:1 opens with the statement: “The saying is sure.” Some interpreters place these words at the end of the previous paragraph (1Tim 2:8-15). Other ancient authorities read, “The saying is commonly accepted,” which now sheds more light on the subject matter. It’s commonly accepted, but not by all.

Now what I am about to reveal may be disturbing to you but 1Tim 3 and Titus 1 requirements apply to both men and women and not just men. Notice in verse one Paul says, “whoever” meaning anyone and not just to men only and the above nine points confirms this.

“The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.” (1)

Another point to consider is the word, “he” which is found in 1Tim 3:4,6,7. This word “he” in the Greek means, “himself, herself, themselves, itself.” It does not hold to any particular gender. Thus in the context of what Paul is saying, “he” is in a neutral state just as Paul started this chapter with, “The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.” So either men or women can occupy this office. This can also be seen in the office of the Deacon where Paul in verse 8 talks about this office of deacon then in verse 11 he positions women to this office, “Women likewise must be serious . . ..” This phrase is also used by Paul in verse 8, apply to men, “Deacons likewise must be serious . . .” There is no biblical term for the office of “deaconess.” So we can see the Paul included both men and women to this office as he has done with the office of bishop/elder/pastor. Anyone who teaches otherwise is teaching false and anti-feminist teachings.

It is remarkable to note that Deacons in the beginning were ones of:

Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, Acts 6:3

Because of the conditions noted in the ten points above, Paul stresses the point that bishops/elders/pastors “Must be” of the following characters. “Must” is the Greek word meaning, “it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.” In the Greek Language the grammar of the word “Must” is in the Present Indicative Active; this asserts something, which is occurring which the speaker, is making the statement. It’s not past condition or future conditions but present condition. Thus, the list that Paul presents is there for a reason and one cannot pick and choose which ones might apply to oneself. They are all or nothing.

There is a false teaching within the church that leaders are to be only men and not women. The above ten points have disproved that. This false doctrine is based on the misreading of 1 Tim 2:11,12, which only applies to “wives” and not women in general. It is ironic that in Revelation 2, the Church at Thyartira had a women prophet and teacher. Now she was teaching false doctrines but God did not instruct the church to remove this woman from this position and the church (as Paul did in 1Cor 5) or that it was wrong for the church to have such an individual as a woman teacher. God instructed only for her to “repent.”

Which now brings us to the verse about marriage:

Now a bishop- must be above reproach, married only once-- NRSV

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife-- KJV

The NRSV renders a more literal translation of this verse. Since the NRSV is based on much older manuscripts than the King James committee had, the rendering of the phrase, “married only once,” is the correct rendering of this verse. The “married only once” is the strict requirement Paul gave to the Ephesus and Crete church to present the image of a godly man or woman, in the Spirit, to present sound doctrine to those false teachers. These men or women for leadership were “above reproach” first!

But if we tend to believe as many churches believe, because of “conventional wisdom,” that the Bishop/elder/pastor will only be a husband of one wife, then there will be, and is, contradiction and confusion over Paul’s instructions of:

I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind. 1Cor 7:7

And,

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord. 1Cor 7:32-35

And,

“Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife” as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 1Cor 9:5

In Paul’s defense here, the option of having a wife or not should not hinder us as doing the Lord’s work.

Now lets look at another phase that Paul uses as a requirement for leadership in these churches, “for if someone does not know how to manage his own household.” Who could better hold this saying than the virtuous women of Proverbs 31:10-31? There is a teaching within some churches that uses Eph 5:22-30 as, “since the ‘husband’ is the head of the wife, that this implies that he and he alone must manage his house.” But the verses say no such thing. The husband is the head or the protector/provider (The word for “manage” is, “to set or place before, to be a protector or guardian, to be over, to superintend, preside over.”) of the women and not the manager of the household. He is to love, give his life, nourish, and tenderly care for his wife. This does not mean that men can’t be like the virtuous women but it does show that both man and woman can do this function. It is also ironic that Paul instructs Titus to instruct older women:

Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. Titus 2:3-5

So then, these individuals “must be” at the present time one of:

1. Marriage

2. Above Reproach

3. Temperate

4. Sensible

5. Respectable

6. Hospitable

7. A Teacher

8. Manage their homes

9. Children submissive and respectful

10. Children are believers

11. Not a recent convert

12. Well thought of by outsiders

13. Not arrogant

14. Not quick-tempered

15. Addicted to wine

16. Not Violent

17. Not Greedy for gain

18. Lover of goodness

19. Prudent

20. Upright

21. Devout

22. Self-controlled

23. Firm grasp of the Word

24. Able to preach and teach sound doctrine

25. To refute those who contradict sound doctrine

These are certainly strict requirements for the position of bishop/elder/pastor that “must be” at the time of their setting apart for the work by other elders of the church.

What would happen if an individual met all these requirements but one “Able to preach and teach sound doctrine” but was a good or excellent motivational speaker? Do they still be given the position of bishop/elder/pastor?

What happens with one meets all these requirements but one, “not able to manage their own homes?” Would they still be qualified for that position? Even though this is really a function of a deacon in most churches.

I believe that Paul is giving strict requirements that must be meet to obtain this position. All must be met at the time of “the noble task.” (Again, these requirements are for the churches that don’t have divine leadership)

What happens after if one falls from one of these requirements? That would be left up to the other elders of the church. One argument is, “What if the person gets divorced on scriptural grounds? Are they still able to hold that position?” Again, Paul states that at the time of the “noble task” that these individuals must meet all those conditions because of the condition of that church and the society around them. This was the task of Titus, to use these requirements concerning the appointing of leaders in the church at Crete (Titus 1:5–9).

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